1. TOWARDS ZERO LANDFILL BY 2025
Karl-H. Foerster, Executive Director, PlasticsEurope
26th Asia Plastics Forum Council Meeting
Bangkok, 14 September 2016

2. Background Plastic Waste = Growing Problem
Threat for License to Operate

3. Approach Turn Problem into Opportunity
Plastic Waste = Valuable Resource *4 *3 *2 *5

4. Action
Target 100% Collection
Recycling (Mechanical and Energy) *9 *8

5. Europe: Positive Trend – But Significant Potential Untapped

6. Landfilling is still the most common waste treatment option for Plastics
Treatment of post-Consumer Plastic Waste in Europe
in 2012:
Energy Recovery
36%
8.9 mt
Municipal Solid Waste Incineration
Landfill
38%
9.5 mt
25 mt
Fuel for energy intensive industrial production, e.g. chemicals, cement etc.
Recycling
26%
6.6 mt

7. Landfilling of plastic waste is still a major option in many countries
Post-Consumer Plastic waste going to landfill (2012):
above 66%
2016
2009
2005
>50% to 66%
Scotland
33% to 50%
1997
below 10%,
i.e. landfill ban
2016
1996
2005
Date of landfill ban in force
2004
2006
Date of future landfill ban
EU27 plus Norway & Switzerland: 38% 7 7

8. Zero Plastics to Landfill
Landfill Ban = Most Effective to Increase Recycling and Energy Recovery
Secure broad Acceptance of Plastic Products and Industry

9. The Case of Germany 000 T/Y Mechanical Recycling Energy Recovery
Landfill
Decision to ban landfilling 1%
42%
56%
10%
37%
38%
41%
36%
14%
Ban of landfilling in force
Source: Consultic, "Produktion, Verarbeitung und Verwertung von Kunststoffen in Deutschland", 2011

10. Lessons Learned
Landfilling remains the most used waste treatment option for plastics as long it is the cheapest option
Countries which have banned the landfilling of plastics achieve generally the highest recycling and energy recovery rates
Eliminating the landfilling has potential to increase reputation of plastics since it is seen as a valuable resource after use-phase
Significant investments in recycling and energy recovery plants are necessary, therefore legal certainty is needed.
Landfill bans (e.g. no material with a calorific value of more than 6 MJ/kg is allowed in landfills) or accelerating landfill taxes are able to provide this certainty

11. Increase Consumers Awareness Ban Landfill
Towards Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency
Improve Collection
Increase Consumers Awareness
Ban Landfill